New York City FC announced Thursday the signing of free agent Benin international defender Cedric Hountondji.
Hountondji, 23, joins after his contract with French Ligue 2 side Ajaccio expired.
“It’s an honor to be here, I am really happy. I am full of motivation and ready to give everything I have for the club,” said Hountondji in a club statement.
“When I heard of the interest, I was very excited. I knew about NYCFC because I follow MLS. I don’t always watch the games because of the time difference but I am watching the highlights and sometimes I watch the games when I have the time. I am not coming here just to live in a great city. I am coming to NYCFC, to the club, to give it my all.”
Born in Toulouse, France, Hountondji has spent his career between Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, with stints at Rennes, Chateauroux, Auxerre, and Ajaccio.
He becomes New York’s fifth signing of the offseason, after the arrivals of Jesus Medina, Saad Abdul-Salaam, Brad Stuver, and Anton Tinnerholm.